Morris Museum and WBGO Presents All That Jazz with Special EFX

Guitarist, composer, producer, and arranger Chieli Minucci is a longtime leader of the Grammy-nominated jazz-fusion group SPECIAL EFX, a major force on the jazz and world music scene for over 40 years.

Chieli and Special EFX recently released Meant to Be, the new chart-topping single, which reached the #1 spot on Billboard! In the summer of 2024, their previous single, Cool Summer, reached the #1 spot on Billboard, as well as a total of 5 charts simultaneously!

Chieli has also recently released 3 unique projects: Return to Budapest With Love, which is an archived 1990 live concert recording of Special EFX from their early days on tour in Europe; the solo, and mainly acoustic release, Someone’s Singing; as well as the 40th anniversary Special EFX CD, Twenty Twenty 2. Chieli and Special EFX’s previous release saw title track, Deep as the Night, win Billboard Magazine’s 2018 top honors, best-song-of-the-year.

Keyboardist Lao Tizer is one of today’s rising stars of the world-fusion genre. Tizer’s original music has spurred comparisons to a modern twist of the 1970s and early 1980s heyday of jazz fusion, when trailblazing ensembles like Return to Forever, Mahavishnu Orchestra and Weather Report set the aesthetic standard. Lao’s music has a multi-genre, multi-national appeal and his group, The Lao Tizer Band, has toured the USA and the world while being nominated “Jazz Group of the Year!” Their 2018 CD/DVD combo release, Songs from The Swinghouse has received acclaim across the industry while debuting near the top of the Billboard Jazz Album Chart! Most recently, in 2025, Lao released the blue-eyed soul, Amplify, featuring American Idol finalist, Elliott Yamin on vocals.

Bassist David Livolsi attended Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA, for two semesters. It was there in Boston where he began combining all of his influences of Rock, Jazz, R&B, Blues, Fusion, Funk and Soul Music to create his “sound” on the bass. David has gone on to work with notable artists, such as John Scofield, Bill Evans, Jazz Is Dead, T Lavitz, Jerry Goodman, Roberta Flack, Maysa, Najee, Chuck Loeb, Sam Rivers, Kung Fu, John Tropea, David Spinozza, Nelson Rangell and many more.

Joel Rosenblatt is a world-renowned drummer and producer. He has performed and recorded with many greats, such as Spyro Gyra, Special EFX, Lee Ritenour, Freddy Jackson, Robben Ford, Larry Carlton, Eileen Ivers, Michel Camilo, Chick Corea, Steps Ahead, Paquito D’Rivera, Manhattan Transfer, Randy Brecker, Ken Navarro, Bill Evans and many more. Having toured the world many times over, Joel has a distinct international musical awareness. Currently the owner and main engineer at world-class Cliff Sound Productions, Joel is also actively involved in producing and cultivating new artists.

Ticket & Visitor Information

For assistance and to make purchases by phone, call the box office at 973-971-3706. The ticket price includes a non-refundable $3.00 service fee. Programs are subject to change.